


space cowboys and vanilla lattes

by mandosslut



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Happy Ending, Implied Masturbation, Implied sex dream, Kylo Ren Needs a Hug, Mutual Pining, but they're also cute and awkward, sexual tension??, they're secretly horny for each other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-22
Updated: 2020-08-23
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:41:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26044390
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mandosslut/pseuds/mandosslut
Summary: "Listen here, Space Cowboy, if you want to fit in here, you're gonna have to do exactly as I tell you, okay?"BASICALLY Kylo Ren crash lands on Earth and gets Rey to help him fit in, starting with changing his name to Ben Solo
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 2
Kudos: 14





	1. Space Cowboys and Vanilla Lattes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> in this chapter, there is force choking on an unnamed character - the character doesn't die, but if this makes you uncomfy, the section starts with _The cloaked figure holds up a hand_ and ends as Kylo asks _"Where am I?"_

Rey stands, tapping her foot on the wooden floor of the café she visits every morning on her way to work. Her stomach swarms with a tidal wave of fluttering butterflies - today is the day she hopes to get a promotion. 

She made sure to dress up nicely - crisp white blouse tucked in at the front of black and white pinstripe trousers, matched with black ankle boots. Her hair, a little messy from rushing it after oversleeping, is pulled up into a bun (or rather, a bird's nest, as she would describe) with loose curls falling around her face. 

The barista calls her name and holds out her vanilla latte, and says, "Enjoy your day!" 

"Thank you, you too," Rey says with a genuine smile as she takes the cardboard cup from him.

She turns, taking a sip of her latte, to see a figure slamming through the door, smashing the glass across the floor and onto nearby tables. A few audible gasps are made from several customers and baristas. Rey's hand jolts and she spills a small amount of coffee down her white blouse just as a barista drops his tray of mugs. They shatter at the feet of the large figure, still standing in the doorway, wordlessly commanding the attention of everyone in the café.

He's tall. Much taller than Rey. He's dressed all in black, with a strange metal object attached to his belt and a black helmet with silver lines around the visor. His hands are balled into fists at his sides, covered by leather gloves. A black cloak swooshes behind him, gently blown by the breeze coming in through the doorway. 

The way he stands and composes himself is enough to make a couple of young children cry and hide behind their parents' chairs.

Rey must be the only person in the café who isn't staring at the figure, wide eyed and mouth hanging open, but only because she's preoccupied by the hot liquid seeping through her blouse and onto her chest. After putting her latte on a nearby table, she grabs a few nearby napkins and dabbed at the stain, pulling the fabric away from her skin, uttering profChewieties. Her head snaps up when the silence is broken by a middle-aged man - the owner of the café - angrily stomping over to the mysterious figure.

"You'll have to pay for that, you know! Now get out of my -" 

The cloaked figure holds up a hand, silencing the café owner as he claws at his throat and is suspended by invisible strings in mid air. Confused and pChewiecked glances are exchanged by all customers. Rey freezes, still clutching the napkins against her blouse.

The café owner turns an unhealthy shade of red, eyes watering. His hands stop clawing at the invisible hands on his neck, his body going limp as his body collapses in a heap on the floor. Turning back to the centre of the café, the black figure takes a step forward. 

"Where am I?" His voice is robotic through his mask, sending a shiver down Rey's spine. 

More glances are exchanged by customers. Tension grows thicker as everyone waits for someone to speak up. 

"London," Rey says, swallowing the lump in her throat, voice quivering. All eyes turn on her, the figure tilting his head.

"London," he echoes. Rey can't tell if he's asking her or simply repeating her through the helmet's filter. "You will come with me," he instructs, ignoring how wide Rey's eyes have grown. 

She hesitantly walks towards him, abandoning her sacred vanilla latte, clutching the stained napkins for dear life. Her legs shake when she stops two feet away from him; she's thankful for the napkins to hide her trembling hands. 

_ I'm going to die. He's going to kill me. I'm going to die. I'm going to die _ , Rey chants over and over in her head, eyes glued to the floor between their feet. She notices how large his feet are in those black boots under the black cloak. 

"I'm not going to kill you," he tells her. Rey hesitantly looks up at him, craning her neck. He's tall, just as she observed from standing on the opposite end of the café. He's also wide. Very wide. He makes Rey look tiny.

Blimey, he's even taller up close.

The figure raises a hand and gives a slight wave as he says, "You remember nothing. You have not seen me," to everyone in the café except for Rey. With this, he turns to leave with Rey half jogging to keep up with his long strides. 

"Um, excuse me - Sir - I actually have to get to work," Rey explains, no longer feeling so afraid of this mysterious man, "I've got an opportunity to be promoted, you see, and -"

"Take me to your home," he cuts off her babbling, abruptly stopping in the middle of the street. He easily ignores the stares from gawping strangers; Rey, on the other hand, offers sheepish smiles to them.

"Well, that's the thing." She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. "I'm already running late, and, well, I really need this promotion, so -"

"I have ways of making you do as I say. Now, take me to your home."

Rey ponders on this for a moment. She knows the café owner hadn't been killed from the faint rise and fall of his chest, but she sure as hell doesn't want to suffer the same fate. Her life is more important than a promotion, she tells herself. 

"How about I take you to my place?" She offers with a fake, confident smile.

\---

"Back, Chewie, back!" Rey half-shouts at her dog as she cracks open the door to her small house. Her cocker spaniel scurries down away and into the main living area, hopping onto the couch.

On their short walk to her flat, Rey called her boss and told her that she's sick and won't be able to come in for the next few days. "You'd better be worth this, Cape Man, I'm losing out on a much needed promotion for you," she'd told the stranger. To say she was baffled when he asked what a mobile phone was, would be an understatement. She laughed at first, thinking it was a joke, but soon realised this -  _ man? -  _ probably didn't have a sense of humour. She'd tried to explain what a phone is, but gave up after three minutes as he didn't see the purpose of any aspect aside from communication.

Rey invites the man into her home, locking the door behind him and showing him into the living space. He looks around at the large room: just under half is the kitchen space, complete with a breakfast bar and two stools; the remainder of the room consists of a couple of beanbags, shelves full of Galaxy Battles merchandise, a couch, and a television.

The man hesitantly sits on the far end of the tatty couch, keeping his distance from Chewie. He keeps his posture, legs spread, and faces forwards to the blank TV and shelves of Rey's most prized possessions. She sits next to the stranger, scooping up Chewie in her lap, sitting sideways with her back against the armrest and an elbow propping up her head on the back of the couch. 

"So, Cloak Man, what's your name? I'm Rey. And this is my dog, Chewie." She ruffles the thick fur on Chewie's back as he curls up in her lap.

His gloved hands come up to his helmet. With a click and a sharp hiss, the chin piece slides forward and upwards to allow the man to remove it. He places it beside him. 

" _ Oh _ ," Rey murmurs to herself.

In front of her sits, quite frankly, the most attractive man she's ever seen. Raven curls fall just above his shoulders, framing his angular face in the most flattering way. His nose is large, and his eyes -  _ oh, his eyes _ \- the colour of dark honey with brown rings at the edges of his irises. 

"My name is Kylo Ren, Supreme Leader of the First Order." His voice is deep, oh so deep, with a smooth American accent. Like the richest dark chocolate and the smoothest velvet. Rey can't help but shift her thighs closer together, much to Chewie's dismay.

She clears her throat, snapping herself out of a trance. "So, Kylo. You're not from around here, are you?" 

"I was born on the planet Chandrila, but I mostly live on the Supremacy." Kylo's eyes don't leave Rey's for a moment. He speaks with sincerity, but she can't help but think this is all some practical joke.

The corner of her lip curls up into a smirk. "Right. So far, I've only understood about five words of what you've said." Her grin falls when Kylo doesn't return the smile. "I get the feeling you're not joking about any of this." A strange weight settles in Rey's stomach, yet her veins buzz with excitement.

"Why would I joke about it?" He seems genuinely puzzled, brow furrowed. He sounds almost angry when he asks, "Do you not know who the First Order are?"

"Can't say I do, Ren. Can't say I do," she mutters. Rey purses her lips. "So, tell me about yourself."

"I'm the Supreme Leader of the First Order, I was born on -"

"Yes, yes, you've said all that. I mean, if you're supposedly from another planet, why are you here? How did you get here?" She twirls a strand of loose hair around her forefinger and combs her other hand through Chewie's curls. She wonders what Kylo's curls would feel like beneath her fingertips.

His brow creases, realising he still wasn't exactly sure where here is. "What planet am I on?" 

"Um, you're on - you're on Earth." Rey feels silly saying this, after all, where else could they be? Certainly not Mars or Saturn. 

"Earth." Kylo pauses, trying to recall the name. "I can't say I've heard of it." He looks back at Rey. "I was in my Command Shuttle - my ship -" he clarifies for Rey's blank expression "- but, long story short, I had to eject myself from the Shuttle and be sent to the nearest safe planet. This is where I landed. I went into that bar where you were -" Rey chuckles at this but doesn't correct him "- and... and I sensed that you should be the one to help me."

"Sensed?" She raises an eyebrow. So he's, what, some psychic medium from…  _ Chinchilla? Chihuahua?  _

Kylo looks at her as though she turned into a Hutt. "With the Force." Rey continues to look at him blankly. "You people don't have the Force?" She shakes her head. "The Force is an energy field that binds everything in the Galaxy together. Some people are Force-sensitive and have the ability to wield the Force, like myself."

Rey looks at Kylo. Her eyebrows are raised, lips parted, eyes widened. "This cannot be real," she says aloud to herself. He reminds her of the main antagonist in Galaxy Battles. Everything about this reminds her of Galaxy Battles. It's completely surreal, and her inner fangirl is absolutely  _ loving  _ every second.

"I need you to help me learn how to fit in on Earth while I wait for the First Order to find me." It feels like he's making an order, but Rey knows he doesn't really have any authority over her. Still, she tells herself this could be fun.

Rey lets out a nervous laugh. "Listen here, Space Cowboy, if you want to fit in here, you're gonna have to do exactly as I tell you, okay?" 

Chewie stands up on her lap and walks across to Kylo, who leans away. 

"Starting with getting used to my dog."

\---

"I need to get out of these clothes," Rey pinches at the coffee stain on her blouse, "so I'm going to get changed and let you get acquainted with Chewie, okay?" 

She leaves and walks up the stairs. Kylo can hear her steps as she walks around upstairs.

He cautiously reaches out a hand and pats Chewie on the head twice. Chewie leans his head to Kylo's helmet and licks across the visor - Kylo cusses under his breath and rubs away the dog slobber using his cloak. 

"Little shit," Kylo mutters as Chewie jumps off the couch and trots away up the stairs.

He looks around the living room area, noticing the many shelves of sci-fi memorabilia. Kylo approaches them, standing in front of the foreign black screen, and leans in close to inspect several figurines and model helmets of all designs and colours. He scans along each of the shelves before turning around, getting a new perspective on Rey's home. 

Under the window are two bean bags - lime green and fuchsia - adjacent to the light grey couch. The window sill holds half a dozen succulents and cacti in mismatched pots of different colours and shapes, with a small blue watering can. In the centre is a small coffee table on a black and white rug with a funky pattern. Sever strings of fairy lights are hung both around the window and along the shelves of Galaxy Battles merchandise. 

The kitchen section is just as vibrant, with each appliance in a different colour - a blue coffee maker, pots and pans in various colours, a lime kettle. The main components of the kitchen (the fridge, oven, cupboards, countertops) all follow a black and white colour scheme. 

Dotted around all of the walls are canvases and framed prints, all of which look professionally taken. There isn't much blank space on the walls. Most of the photos are vibrant and don't have Rey in them - Kylo assumes she was the one behind the camera. He notices Chewie in a couple of shots, and that a few of the same faces appear in multiple frames.

There's a closed door by a set of stairs with a quirky bathroom sign hanging on it. He straightens the wonky plaque using his forefinger, but doesn't open the door.

Kylo can tell instantly that Rey isn't afraid of colour. He stops pacing around her home when she returns from her bedroom, Chewie scurrying along behind her. 

She has let her hair down, loose brown curls falling to her shoulders, and now wears a yellow floral dress that comes down to hee mid thigh. She smiles at him, all fear of him somehow dissipated.

She twirls as she nears the couch, her hair and the skirt fanning out. "Like it?" She asks cheekily, not expecting a response. 

"You look very… nice," Kylo tells her rather formally, giving her the impression that he's not one to give compliments.

Despite suspecting he just said it to be polite, Rey has no control over the faint blush rising in her pale cheeks. She returns to her initial cosy position on the couch, Chewie once again hopping into her lap, and waits for Kylo to join her. 

"While I was getting changed, I did some thinking about your situation," Rey begins. "As completely surreal as this is, I've worked out a sort of battle plan, if you like," she pauses, waiting for his nod of approval. "First things first, your name sticks out like a sore thumb. As lovely as "Kylo Ren" is, if you want to properly fit in, you'll need a new name."

"Ben Solo," Kylo blurts with no hesitation. 

Rey blinks in surprise, grateful that she won't have to brainstorm name ideas. "Yeah, that's - that's perfect actually. So,  _ Ben _ , the next thing, would be your clothes. Don't get me wrong, I love the whole "emo space wizard" look -" Ben narrows his eyes at her "- but, again, what with the cloak and helmet, you'll definitely stick out. I'm more than happy to get you some clothes, I should have enough money to get you a couple of outfits until my next payday."

"Fine. New clothes," Ben begrudgingly accepts. "What else?" 

"You need a job. Luckily for you, there's an opening at my place for another editor - I work for a newspaper as an editor, so I could train you up and keep you out of trouble." Rey shifts as Chewie gets himself more comfortable on her lap. "Also, this whole  _ Force _ thing - you can't do that in public. Not around anyone who isn't me, okay?"

Ben opens his mouth to protest, but Rey cuts across him. "I mean it, Ben -" his new name falls naturally from her lips, and Ben's surprises himself that he doesn't hate how it sounds "- shit like that doesn't happen on Earth. Ever. Feel free to use it when you're here, as long as you don't hurt my baby Chewie, but never when we're with anyone else, okay?"

He pauses, assessing the request. "Fine," he eventually huffs. "So, what happens now?"

Rey grins and stretches towards something under the coffee table. Unable to quite reach it without knocking Chewie off her lap, Ben raises two of his fingers to let the object land in the space between them on the couch. 

She looks up at him, mouth hanging open, the corner of her mouth slightly curled upwards. "That," she begins slowly, "is quite possibly the coolest thing I have ever seen." He lowers his eyes a little and  _ is that a smile?  _ A small smile, granted, but a smile nonetheless. "Feel free to Force things whenever you please because  _ that,  _ Space Cowboy, is incredible."

She opens her laptop and brings up a few clothes websites.

"It's time to get you some new clothes, Benny boy." She clicks various keys, leaning over Chewie.

"Don't call me that." Rey smirks, glancing up at Ben's unamused face. "What's that?" He nods at her laptop. 

"This?" She pauses scrolling through a website and taps the side of it. "It's called a laptop. I suppose it does the same sorts of things as a phone, like I told you about earlier."

Ben furrows his brow and shifts on the couch so he, too, is sitting sideways with an elbow on the back of the couch. He rests his head in his hand, "So what's the point of it if they do the same thing?"

Rey sighs, loudly. This is going to be hard work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you so much for reading! this is my first multi-chapter fanfic, so please be nice in the comments and don't be overly critical!


	2. Gungans, Twi'lek, Wookiees and Ewoks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "So you're… the Dark Side?"
> 
> "Yes. But you don't have to be afraid of me, Rey. I have no reason to harm you," he tells her sincerely.
> 
> Looking at Ben this close, she notices the beauty marks across his face and she has an urge to reach out and trace her thumb over them. She doesn't. As she looks into his eyes - amber, flakes of brown - Rey trusts him for reasons she can't explain, and she knows he won't harm her.

"What is this?" Ben picks up one on Chewie's ears between his thumb and forefinger, then let's go and let's it fall against his head.

Chewie had settled on Ben's lap, much to his dismay, but Rey insisted that it's good that they get used to one another. 

Rey looks up from her laptop screen, raising her eyebrows at him. "Uh, it's called an ear, Ben." 

"I mean the creature. What is it?"

"Chewie's a dog. There are a lot of breeds of dogs, but he's a cocker spaniel," Rey explains patiently to him, already getting used to Ben's questions. 

"He's weird." Ben awkwardly pats Chewie on the head again before he scampers away and nestles himself in a lime green bean bag. Rey smiles to herself and finds a comforting warmth surging through her bloodstream.

Turning her focus back to her online shopping, Rey asks, "So, where you're from, what animals do you have?"

Ben tilts his head and watches Rey clicking keys and intently staring at the light shining from her laptop, noticing how a stray hair refuses to stay tucked behind her ear. "There are a lot of creatures, some nice, some not so nice. I understand that a lot of people have a soft spot for porgs."

"What are they like?" She glances up at him, letting him know he still has her attention. She has a dozen tabs open, all on different sites with men's clothes.

"They're sea-dwelling birds found on Ahch-To." Ben grunts. "I suppose they're cute, in a way. But, Maker, they get annoying."

Rey finds herself grinning at him, once again. Ben continues to talk about several other creatures from his world while she searches for suitable clothes for him. He tells her about how not only humans live in his galaxy - there are Gungans, Twi'lek, Wookiees, and Ewoks, just to name a few. It all sounds far too complex for Rey to comprehend, but she tries to keep up, eager to hear about the dozens of planets and creatures. 

"All done!" She exclaims, closing her laptop and returning it under the coffee table. "I ordered more than I originally planned to, but I got too excited. They'll all arrive tomorrow for you to try on."

Ben nods slowly. "Thank you, Rey." He looks deeply into her brown eyes, noticing flecks of green scattered in the pools of hazel. "You've been very kind."

Rey's breath catches in her throat, unable to break their eye contact. Her body goes tingly, her stomach doing acrobatics. "It - it's really no problem. Least I could do when a hot Space Wizard shows up asking for help." Her eyes widen and she clamps her hands over her mouth when she realises what she just said.  _ Shit _ . "I - I, uh, I meant that - what I meant to say, was that…"

Is he smiling?

His head is lowered, but she's sure she can still see a smile behind the curtain of hair. His cheeks almost look flushed. There's teeth. He's definitely smiling. Rey realises she hadn't seen him smile until now, and - oh - it's beautiful. Ben's smile meets his eyes, lighting up the rings of honey. His teeth aren't perfectly straight and even, but Rey still finds it beautiful. And he has dimples. Oh, the dimples...

Ben's smile almost looks out of place with his all-black outfit, radiating "emo space boy" vibes. 

Rey clears her throat. "You can stay here for as long as you need. I have two bathrooms and you can take the spare bedroom." 

She stands up and walks towards the stairs. Ben takes his cue to follow her, taking two steps at a time. The walls by the stairs, much like the living room, are covered with photos in mismatched, quirky frames and one or two Galaxy Battles posters. 

"When I called in to work sick, I took the whole week off, so we'll have that long to prepare you for the outside world," Rey chuckles softly.

There are four doors along the corridor, two on each side. At the end of the hall is a long, full-body mirror with a simple white frame. He watches him walk behind her in the reflection, noticing just how much he looms over her. Then he feels self-conscious and quickly looks away.

Rey opens the first door on their right, inviting Ben into the room. "This is my room," she tells him. 

Much to Ben's surprise, there isn't any sci-fi memorabilia in Rey's bedroom, but the decoration is just as colourful as downstairs. 

Her double bed has half a dozen mismatched cushions - some fluffy, some with tassels, some embroidered - and two blankets draped over the end. The duvet covers are plain white with intricate light grey patterns, accentuating the vibrant cushions. Around the headboard, a string of cluster fairy lights has been put up. The other pieces of furniture were plain white, the walls painted a neutral shade of cream with a single wall in grey. 

Rey looks up at him, watching his eyes scan the room, giving away no reaction. He looks down at her. She slides past him in the doorway, their chests almost touching, and shows him the bathroom next door, then her study opposite that. 

Ben guesses that her study is her favourite room. The desk - covered with papers and a few scattered pens - is where, he assumes, Rey does a lot of her editorial work for her newspaper. It's a small room, with the desk taking up an entire wall. The opposite wall is covered with a bookshelf, some shelves holding books, but mostly holding DVDs and more figurines. This is also decorated with a string of fairy lights. 

"You like these lights, I see," Ben says, pinching the strings between his thumb and forefinger. 

Rey smiles and averts her eyes to the ground, hoping her hair falls to hide her blush, suddenly self-conscious of them. "Yeah. Yeah, I do."

Chewie's pitter patter on the vinyl floor grows louder. Ben sighs when Chewie weaves between his feet, gently trying to nudge the dog away from him. 

"Hey, baby!" Ben wonders why her voice sounds like… that, as she talks to the dog, almost sing-song like. Rey swoops down and cradles Chewie in her arms. "I think he's starting to like you," she says as she glances at Ben. Chewie tilts his head in her arms and flicks his tongue out, licking her chin as she giggles. 

"Mm, perhaps."

Biting back a smile, Ben turns and opens the final door, revealing the spare bedroom. It's not too much smaller than the master bedroom, but has a lot more clutter and less fairy lights. There are a few random boxes, and a few photo albums in a pile in the corner. 

"Sorry about the mess," Rey bends down to put Chewie back on the floor. He jumps onto the bed and nestles himself among the cushions. She begins to make her way over to the pile of photo albums. "I'll be sure to tidy it for you tomorrow."

Her foot gets caught under a random cable laying across the floor; her body lurches forwards, she yelps, and the skirt of her dress flows up a little. Rey puts her hands forwards, ready to catch herself, and squeezes her eyes shut. But she never falls to the ground. She opens one eye, then the other. She's held in the air, Ben standing behind her with an outstretched hand.

Rey finds her body tilting upright and her feet find the floor. She smooths down her dress, "Was that the, uh - what was it? - the Force?"

"Yes," Ben says simply, not taking his eyes off her as she combs her fingers through her hair.

"So, uh," she picks up the pile of photo albums, which are heavier than she'd expected, "what else can you do with this Force thing?" 

He holds out a hand, silently asking if he can sit on the bed. She nods. "The Force gives its users many abilities, like levitating objects, manipulating people's minds. Uh, sometimes we get visions of... of the future. The visions don't always come true, but they have the potential to." 

Rey intently listens as he explains the Force to her, putting the photo albums on top of a box. She finds it all so fascinating and completely surreal. If she hadn't witnessed it three times already, she doubts she'd even believe such a thing could even exist. 

"It also gives us quick reflexes in battles," he continues. 

"Battles?" Rey's eyes widen at the prospect as she joins Ben, sitting on the edge of the bed.

He nods. "There are two sides to the Force - the Light, and the Dark. There have been many wars between them for years. The First Order has the most control of the Galaxy, but there are those who try to resist us."

"So... Do you all fight using the Force? What about that ship you mentioned earlier?" A million questions are zooming around in Rey's mind, not knowing which ones she should ask first. 

"No, not everyone is Force-sensitive. We use lightsabers -" he tapped the metal object attached to his belt "- but most others use blasters. Those of us who use the Dark Side of the Force often practise abilities that others deem to be... unnatural." 

Ben pauses and looks at Rey. She bites her lip in anticipation; the way he talks makes her anxious, to say the least. 

He takes a breath before continuing. "Those who follow the Dark Side are taught to embrace their emotions, their anger, fear, and hate. Some of the most powerful Sith masters have used Force Lightning, but the most... notable ability of Dark Side users is Force Choking. Like you saw in the bar."

_ Café _ , Rey silently corrects. She brings a hand up to her throat at the thought. "So you're… the Dark Side?" Rey asks cautiously, becoming more fearful.  _ Oh, shits, what have I gotten myself into? _

"Yes. But you don't have to be afraid of me, Rey. I have no reason to harm you," he tells her sincerely.

Looking at Ben this close, she notices the beauty marks across his face and she has an urge to reach out and trace her thumb over them. She doesn't. As she looks into his eyes - amber, flakes of brown - Rey trusts him for reasons she can't explain, and she knows he won't harm her. 

"Can -" she clears her throat. "Can you, like, um... read my mind?"

Ben's lips curl up, showing his dimples. "Yes. And no."

She tilts her head. "You've lost me," she says, now overly conscious about what she's thinking, just in case he can hear her thoughts.

"Most Force users can sense emotions and thoughts. But, it is possible to gain access to another's subconscious and memories," Ben explains carefully. 

Rey nods slowly, trying to understand. God, she feels out of her depth. 

\---

The rest of the day is spent by Rey and Ben explaining things about their two worlds. Rey babbles about her job, her closest friend - Rose - and her small world in general.

"So, if I get you the job where I work, you'd probably meet Rose. She's lovely, easy to get along with." Rey lets out a small laugh, "It's kind of funny, really - she's dating the owner of the rival newspaper. Our boss isn't too thrilled about that, as I'm sure you can imagine."

"What's your boss like?" Ben asks. His eyes haven't left Rey as she rambles on, watching her intently with an unreadable expression that makes her skin feel white hot.

She grimaces. "Gwen is, well, you'll see. She can be... firm. But she's alright, really, just keep on her good side," she advises. He nods in understanding.

"So, you're an editor, right?" Rey nods. "Is that what you want to do forever? I notice there are a lot of photographs on the walls," he gestures to the door, "I assume you took them?"

She smiles, almost sadly. "Yeah, I took them all. I love photography, I really do, but... I've never tried pursuing it as a career."

Ben's brow furrows. "Why not?""

"Oh, I don't know. I enjoy editing, really, but there's just something about capturing moments, freezing them in time forever and having them to always look back on... It's beautiful." Her voice trails off as her eyes follow his legs, dangling off the edge of the bed, feet reaching the floor. "At least, to me it is."

They sit in a comfortable silence for a moment. Rey watches Ben's feet fidget and settle with his toes pointing inwards; she thinks it looks uncomfortable, but she smiles nonetheless, thinking it's cute.

"I think you should do it," Ben says, looking up at Rey. His fingers are interlaced on his lap, head slightly tilted.

"Hm?"

"Photography. You should try it for a career."

Rey begins to laugh, but stops when she realises his sincerity. "Why?"

"Why not? You should do the things that make you happy." Ben offers her a small smile, a smile that conjures a warmth in her veins. 

She doesn't reply, instead changing the subject to Ben and his world.

She has always felt as though the world as she knows it is fucking massive, with the knowledge always in the back of her mind that there are so many places she's never been, things she's never experienced, but as Ben educates her on his world, she's never felt smaller. 

Rey realises she's barely an ant, living in a world too vast to explore in a single lifetime.

"How many planets are there? What are they like?" Yet again, Rey finds hundreds of questions zooming through her head at a hundred miles per hour. There's so much she wishes to know about the universe out there, she simply doesn't know where to begin.

Ben chuckles lowly, her enthusiasm easily sensed. "A lot. I don't know the exact number, and they're all different." 

He goes on to describe half a dozen planets to Rey, who listens intently and desperately tries to absorb every word. 

"So, what's your favourite planet?" She asks him, oh so eager to know everything about every planet there is. 

Ben pauses, thinking. If anyone else were to ask him this, he would without a doubt say Mustafar or Exegol. But being with Rey, he feels as though he can answer as himself, not as the Kylo Ren everyone else in his Galaxy expects him to be. 

"Naboo," he settles on. "It was my grandmother's home planet." Rey smiles at his response, appreciating the sentiment behind his choice. Ben continues, "I reckon you'd like it there. Everything about it is beautiful."

He looks into Rey's eyes when he says that last word - beautiful. A faint blush creeps up her cheeks and her stomach does the thing with the butterflies and somersaults.

Ben's expression changes when he speaks about Naboo; it softens, no longer matching his intimidating, Emo Cape Man demeanour. Rey catches herself wondering how he'd look between her thighs, whether he'd be slow and gentle in bed, or rough and -

"Rey, are you - are you okay?"

"Hm?" Rey's face flushes when she realises she'd been unabashedly staring at Ben as her mind drifted to vulgar places. She crosses one leg over the other. "Of - of course, why wouldn't I be?" 

Ben smiles a little, tilting his head. His eyes look darker than earlier. "Nothing. You just seemed a little... distracted, that's all."

\---

Rey sleeps with her bedroom door open, for Chewie's sake, so he's free to choose where he sleeps. Tonight, he's curled up on the end of her bed, nestled in a fluffy blanket.

Ben wakes in the dead of night, glancing at the digital clock next to the bed to see angry red numbers glaring back at him. It's just gone two in the morning. He needs a piss.

He rolls over and out of bed, running a hand through his dishevelled hair. He almost trips up his pile of black robes and boots beside his bed, and he makes a mental note to ask Rey in the morning where he should store them and his helmet and lightsaber. He walks out into the hallway, intending to go to the bathroom.

He stops, hearing a noise coming from Rey's bedroom. He takes two steps backwards and peeks into the room, just to check that she's okay. He wonders if she's awake, too. 

Ben can just make out her silhouette - she lays on her back with an arm on her pillow by her head, body tangled under her duvet with a bare leg sticking out, hooked around her bed sheets. Her eyes are closed, and Ben knows she's asleep. She would've heard him and opened her eyes, otherwise - he isn't exactly light-footed.

Rey's lips are parted as she writhes under her duvet, making soft, almost inaudible,  _ moaning _ sounds.

Breath catches in his throat, and Ben freezes. A nagging voice in the back of his mind tells him to move, go to the bathroom then get back to sleep, but he can't move. He wills his legs to walk yet they're fixed to the ground.

Despite feeling indescribably creepy watching a pretty lady sleep, he still can't leave. He's completely and utterly transfixed on her, bewitched by her. Even in the dark, he can tell she looks beautiful and at peace when she's asleep. 

She murmurs ever so faintly, " _ Feels so good _ ..."

The realisation of what Rey's dreaming about smacks Ben around the face and his boxers begin to tighten. He takes a step to continue to the bathroom, but halts at the next thing he hears.

The next words that leave her lips stop his racing heart for a split second. They're so soft, so delicate and quiet that he can't be sure if he's misheard her. But he knows he's heard exactly right.

" _ Oh, Ben _ ."

_ Oh, shit. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for reading and thank you so much for the kudos! I hope you're enjoying so far :)


	3. A Full English Breakfast

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A set of small fingers cover his and take the button from his hands. "Here, let me," Rey offers quietly. 
> 
> He's not blushing. Neither is she. It's just warm in the house. 
> 
> And she's just undoing the buttons on his shirt. No big deal. Revealing a slither of his bare chest with each button, another smooth contour of muscle.

Rey's pulse picks up as she hears Ben's heavy footsteps slowly plodding down the stairs. She instantly averts her eyes to the frying pan in front of her, face flushed, when she sees his face and gets a glance of his dishevelled bedhead. And his bare chest. 

Why the fuck couldn't he put his cape on? Something -  _ anything  _ \- to stop her from marvelling at his chiselled frame.

"Morning," she chirps, now frantically stirring mushrooms in a frying pan. She's been awake for a while, and decided to cook Ben a full English breakfast - hashbrowns, and all - the smell of it filling the house and drifting up the stairs. 

Rey's eyes flicker up to Ben as he says, "Morning." Her eyes linger on him for a moment, breath hitching when he runs a hand through his hair. His arms are huge. She quickly looks back down at the frying pan. 

"I trust you slept well," he says, sitting on a stool at the breakfast bar, folding his arms on the surface.  _ Oh, Gods, his arms _ ...

Rey nods a little too quickly. "Yes, yes, of course. And you? Did you sleep, um - sleep well?"

She can't stop the memory of last night's dream consuming her thoughts. She wonders if she'd be able to tell if Ben reads her mind. She hopes he isn't. Her mind is simply full of vulgar images of their bodies intertwined, memories of the dream she had last night. 

You know when you have a dream about someone, and after that you can't look at them the same way? That's precisely how Rey feels.

Heat rises through her cheeks once more and she tilts her head down, a feeble attempt to hide it. "I did, thank you."

The oven pings, breaking the silence that began to settle over them. She dishes up two plates of one of her favourite meals, lightly seasoning the hashbrowns, and sits next to Ben as they begin to eat. 

They eat wordlessly, only hearing the patter of Chewie's paws as he trots down the stairs and settles at the base of Rey's chair. 

Ben clears his throat once he's finished eating and thanks Rey for the meal. "It's really no bother," she assures him. "What did you think of it? I assume it's different to the space food you're used to."

"It was good," Ben says, his voice deep. It sends a rippling shiver down her spine. "I enjoyed it, truly. Although I'm not too keen on those long… squishy things. The, uh - sausages, did you call them?"

Rey nods with a giggle. "You're right, sausages. No worries, I'll eat yours next time."

There's something about his lack of knowledge that entices Rey and draws her to him. Not to mention his lack of shirt and the way his boxers hug his ass and fucking huge thighs. His shoulders are broad, his chest defined. He's built like… like a  _ fridge.  _ And something about it is so damn  _ sexy _ to Rey.

When Ben had come downstairs, he hadn't thought to put his clothes on, too busy remembering what he'd heard last night. What he'd done in Rey's bathroom. 

The first thing he saw in the kitchen was Rey, still in her pyjamas - a grey Galaxy Battles tank top and mismatched cotton shorts, only just covering her ass. Her hair's in a messy topknot, her face shiny with skincare products. 

Despite looking barely awake, she looks... good. Better than good. The edges of a white lace bralette peek out of the top of the tank top, the straps also lace. The shorts are mismatched but still branded with the Galaxy Battles logo, and short. Very short. 

He also noticed how flushed Rey looks. He assumes it was simply the heat or the steam from the mushrooms.

Ben tries his hardest not to stare as she takes their empty plates and sets them by the sink.

"Would you like a drink, Ben?" She asks over her shoulder as she opens a cupboard to get out a mug. 

"Sure, that would be great. Thank you." 

She gets out two mugs, holding the handles in one hand. She puts hers under the coffee machine and sets it up, making herself a vanilla latte while listing his beverage options - tea, vanilla latte, water, milk. She apologises for the lack of choice (she hasn't been to the supermarket in a while). 

"Do you have blue milk here?" 

She turns to look at him. "Blue milk?"

"I'll take that as a no." Rey chuckles and shakes her head. "Just water, please."

She pours him a glass of water and hands it to him, their fingertips brush as he takes the glass. His hand makes it look tiny - or does the glass make his hand look massive? Either way, he engulfs the glass and takes a long swig, drinking almost the whole thing. He licks his lips. 

The coffee machine stops and Rey discards the coffee pods into the bin, takes the Galaxy Battles mug, and sits next to Ben. He can smell the vanilla and caffeine. He likes the scent, it's oddly comforting. 

While Rey waits for the beverage to cool down, Ben finishes his glass of water. He licks his lips again. She bites her bottom lip and averts her gaze to the steam coming off the latte. 

Her eyes fly to the empty glass as it floats an inch or two above the table, turning in circles. The corner of her lips tug up into a smile, completely in awe of what she's witnessing. Ben's pointer finger moves in small circles as he idly stares at the glass. Heat rises in Rey's cheeks when she steals several glances at his finger, noticing how thick it is and the movements he makes.

"Um, would you like another drink, Space Cowboy?"

He smiles softly at the nickname. Rey likes his dimples. "Sure. Thank you."

Just as Rey reaches out to grab the levitating glass, it floats over to the sink and plants itself on the worktop just beside it. She playfully scowls at Ben, who looks amused at her baffled expression before processing what he did. 

She hands him back a full glass of water and takes a sip of her vanilla latte, pleased to find that it's ready to drink.

Her sigh is content after drinking half of it. "Do you want to try some?" She asks, holding out the mug to Ben.

"Yeah, why not." 

Ben's hand practically envelopes hers as he takes the mug from her. His touch sparks against her skin, her pulse quickening. She notices how rough his palm feels, but in a soft and gentle way. His skin is warm against her cold hand. 

He brings the mug up to his lips and takes a long sip of the vanilla latte. His large nose crinkles as he puts the mug on the counter. His lips curl and his brow furrows. 

Rey's face falls. "You don't like it, do you?"

"It's, uh… It's okay," he tries. He wanted to like it, he really did, but it's just too  _ vanilla  _ for him. Too sweet. He understands why Rey likes the drink so much, it's just like her in that respect - sweet and gentle and smooth. 

"You hate it."

Ben's already decided that he hates seeing Rey disappointed. She looks crestfallen. "No. No, I wouldn't say hate. Just… not  _ love _ ."

"I bet you're a black coffee kind of guy," she says more to herself than him, resuming on sipping her latte. "Seems like the kinda thing an emo space wizard like you would enjoy."

\---

Rey sits on the couch, laptop open on her lap, intently staring at the screen as the clicking of keys becomes the only sound. Ben joins her on the couch, recoiling when Chewie settles on his thighs. He glances up at Rey for help, but she's too busy checking her work emails to notice, so he embraces Chewie and tentatively pats his back twice with his large hand. Ben cautiously strokes from Chewie's head all the way down his back. His head relaxes on Ben's thigh, resting on his front paws, so Ben keeps stroking him, slowly becoming more comfortable with the dog.

"Hey, I had a thought," Rey begins. "I could email Phasma now and suggest you for the job opening I mentioned. Sooner rather than later, right?"

Ben nods, stroking a finger between Chewie's eyes. "That would be great. Thank you, Rey." He clears his throat before adding something he'd been meaning to say since he arrived in Rey's house. "Also, um, I'm sorry for making you miss out on the chance to get a promotion. That was selfish of me."

Looking up at him, Rey finds herself smiling. A genuine, happy smile. "It's okay. There'll be other opportunities."

Not long after she sends her boss an email explaining that she knows someone who would be able to start working on Monday and offering to personally train him, Rey's doorbell rings. 

Chewie pounces off Ben's lap and runs to the front door. "Oh! That'll be the clothes I ordered you," Rey exclaims as she follows not far behind Chewie. 

Ben stays on the couch, standing up when he hears Rey thanking the delivery guy and closing the door. She returns holding several packages of various colours and sizes, Chewie at her heels.

"Let's get you dressed, Space Cowboy," she Chris, dumping the packages on the coffee table. 

"Do you have to give me such nicknames?"

"Absolutely. Now, Benny boy -"

Ben mutters, "Please,  _ stars _ , don't call me that."

"- Time to put some clothes on you."

Rey opens each package, keeping the clothes atop each one to stop them getting muddled up, and talks him through what she ordered. 

There are two pairs of shoes - trainers, for casual wear, and black shiny shoes for work (assuming Phasma gives him the job.) She ordered him two pairs of jeans and two pairs of smart trousers - one black, one navy blue - with matching blazers and just over a dozen t-shirts and button-up shirts. Plus a dozen pairs of underwear and socks. And a handful of ties.

"Maker, Rey. I thought you would only order a few outfits?"

She shrugs, opening a final parcel. "I got carried away." She beams at the contents of this package, but doesn't show him what's inside. "While I was at it, I ordered myself a few things, too," she explains, seeing his slight confusion.

Ben picks up the navy blue trousers and pulls them up. Rey averts her eyes for a moment until they're on and he has a light blue button-up shirt shrugged over his shoulders.

It's almost painful to watch Ben struggle with the buttons on the shirt, fingers too fucking big to gracefully do them all up. With a blush on her cheeks, Rey makes her way over to him, careful to avoid eye contact (though staring at the exposed skin at eye level is no better). 

Her pulse is quick and her breaths are shaky as her fingers come up to the button midway down his chest, licking her lips as she slots it in the opposite hole. She can feel Ben's eyes burning into her, his head lowered as he watches her. He lifts his chin for her to do up the final button, leaving two undone at the top. 

Rey steps away and takes the opportunity to roam her eyes over him. The buttons strain against the fabric a little, tugging tightly across his broad chest. She never realised just how _wide_ he is until now. He's like… like a - _a_ _fridge_. Rey stifles a giggle to herself at the thought.

"Does it look alright?" Ben asks, intently looking at her.

She nods. "Yeah, it fits… well. Very well."  _ Those poor buttons.  _ "You could look in the mirror at the end of the hall if you want? I'll bring all this up."

She goes to pile up the packages, only for them to float along in mid air, making their way up the stairs. Rey looks at Ben. The corner of his lips are curled into a smirk. 

"Or, you could just do that. That works. I like the Force."

She follows Ben up the stairs and leans against her closed bedroom door as he awkwardly studies his reflection. "It, uh, it fits," he says, looking back to Rey for reassurance. She nods. "What's next?"

They decide to try on the rest of the button-up shirts, then the second pair of work trousers before the casual clothes.

Ben tries to undo the buttons, he really does. The frustration on his face is clear as day. Then, a set of small fingers cover his and take the button from his hands. "Here, let me," Rey offers quietly. 

He's not blushing. Neither is she. It's just warm in the house. 

And she's just undoing the buttons on his shirt. No big deal. Revealing a slither of his bare chest with each button, another smooth contour of muscle. 

It feels… intimate. The silence is only broken by their soft, shallow breaths. 

Her shaky fingertips brush his bare chest once, twice, as she undoes a button just above his belly button and he sucks in a breath. Time seems to freeze and it seems like she's unbuttoning his shirt for hours. 

Rey clears her throat and takes two steps away once the final button is undone. The shirt hangs parted, exhibiting his chiseled frame. "All done."

She handles the buttons with each shirt after that and they become accustomed to the strange intimate silence that settles over them, comfortable enough to exchange small smiles.

The button-up shirts all fit him well, much to their relief. He's shirtless as Rey folds up the final shirt on his bed and brings out the black pair of work trousers.

She can feel the heat rushing through her veins as Ben begins to push down his trousers. "Do you want to close the door to change? Or I could turn around?"

Feeling bold, he shrugs. "You saw it all this morning." 

Rey's throat goes dry as she nods. "Right. Yeah, of course." Then mutters, "How could I forget?"

The trousers fit, just like the navy ones. As do the matching blazers that he tries on over a simple tee. The casual t-shirts fit him  _ perfectly _ . The cap sleeves hug his biceps, accentuate his muscled chest. Rey's careful not to stare when he pulls each shirt over his head to try on the next. Sometimes, he'll turn around when he's shirtless and  _ oh, fuck, his back… _ .

Ben keeps on his last outfit - a plain black tee and jeans - as he tries on the shoes. The patent leather shoes intended for work are a tad too small, and Ben can't help but feel guilty.  _ Why the fuck are my feet too big? _ But Rey's warm and smiles at his expression, assuring him that she'll send them back and order the next size up, whatever that means. Back on the Supremacy, he never had to worry about the  _ size  _ of his clothes.

Together they tidy away his "emo space suit", as she calls his half a dozen layers of black, and his "Earth clothes", storing them all in the wardrobe in his new bedroom. She's sure to tuck his Kylo Ren attire at the back of the wardrobe, covering the helmet with his cloak, at his request. 

"I'll need that, too," Rey says, nodding at the life-saver -  _ light-saver?  _ She can't remember exactly what he called it, only that it's a weapon - in his hand. 

Ben's jaw visibly tightens. "No. This stays with me."

"It'll be safe in here. Trust me."

His jaw doesn't loosen. "I need it. For protection."

Rey can't help but laugh. "P- protection? Ben, what do you think will  _ happen  _ to you here?" He doesn't answer. "I know you mentioned battles and crazy things like that in your Galaxy, but none of that happens here." She pauses. "Well, things  _ like  _ that, but not with fancy space weapons."

Trying to read Ben's expression is helpless. She can't work out whether or not her persuasion is successful. She sighs. Rey walks over to the stacks of boxes, which are much neater since Ben first saw the room yesterday, and picks one up and removes the lid. It's full of over a hundred printed photos, all slightly ripped or creased or faded in some way. 

"Here. Put it in here."

She almost doesn't believe that he'll do so - surrender his beloved weapon on an unknown planet. But he does. 

Ben feels… strange, as he puts the crossguard lightsaber in the box. He watches Rey replace the lid and tuck the box away with his Kylo Ren clothes. 

He expects to feel angry or hurt or lost without his infamous weapon (or, at least, infamous throughout the planets ruled by the First Order). He expects to feel as though a part of him is missing, a part of his identity that he's been glued to for a decade. But he doesn't feel lost without the saber. Quite the opposite, in fact. 

He feels  _ free.  _ Relieved, almost. A weight he didn't realise he was bearing is gone as soon as his fingertips leave the metal. It's like the final shift in losing his identity -  _ former _ identity - of Kylo Ren, Supreme Leader of the First Order, and beginning a new one here on Earth as Ben Solo. 

A fleeting thought crosses his mind. A thought he doesn't dwell on, simply puts a pin in it for another time. Perhaps, he doesn't want the First Order to find him here. Everything he's seen so far is  _ good _ . He can be  _ himself.  _ He can be  _ happy. _ A thought for another day.

Ben smiles. A wide, bright smile - with teeth - that reaches his eyes and lights up his burnt honey irises. He wants to hug Rey. Thank her, even. 

He doesn't, but he wants to. Very much.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you so much for reading! I hope you're enjoying it and thank you so much for the support :)


End file.
